Lori Day

With the go-go lifestyles we lead, it can be easy for life's to-do list to be overwhelming. My monthly home & lifestyle maintenance checklist will help you stay organized, show you how to do a little at a time, and how to get everything DONE.

Indoor Cleaning Tips

• Use your vacuum and dishwasher to clean more efficiently. Start at the ceiling line with the vacuum: Vacuum walls, baseboards, and furniture before vacuuming floors. Empty the bag as soon as it starts getting full.
• Use the dishwasher for everything that fits. On some models, you can take out the top shelf for oversized items you might not have considered like the bathroom garbage cans, broiler pans, and bath caddies.
• Clean and shampoo carpets. If you can, hire someone to do this; it will save a lot of time and free you up to do other things. Wash floors, then treat per manufacturer´s instructions. Wash woodwork including moldings, baseboards, and doors.
• Take down curtains and drapes. Wash or dry clean. Wash mini-blinds, blinds, or shades. If damaged, repair or replace. Clean lamps and ceiling fans, removing light bulbs and covers to wipe/polish.
• Take down pictures and artwork. Clean frames and glass. Move appliances and heavy furniture. Clean underneath.

With the go-go lifestyles we lead, it can be easy for life's to-do list to be overwhelming. My monthly home & lifestyle maintenance checklist will help you stay organized, show you how to do a little at a time, and how to get everything DONE.

Outdoor Projects

• Start spring yard clean up. Edge and lay a fresh layer of mulch in beds
• Top dress and reseed lawns. Mow when grass gets to be 4" high. Be sure not to mow it too short.
• Fertilize almost everything.
• Double check all gutter extensions and splash blocks to ensure water is being carried away from the foundation of the house.

So you're driving down the street, and you see a beautiful home for sale. You pull a flyer out of the box in front, and it looks like THE perfect home for you. The next thing you do is call the number for the listing agent and set up a showing - right? WRONG! At least not if you want an agent that's working for YOU.

When you're ready to buy a home - one important thing you need to understand is "Agency". There are many ways a consumer can work with an agent in the KC Metro, and it's important to know who is working for whom.

In most cases, the agent who lists a home for sale is representing the seller - and the seller only. So if you call the listing agent to view & write an offer on a home, you're on your own. What's worse is not only will they not be able to provide you advice on purchase price and terms, but any personal information you tell them about yourself WILL be passed on to the seller. (Why you're moving, what you can spend, how interested you are in the home, etc..) This can definitely jeopardize your position at the "negotiating table."

What you need is an Exclusive Buyer Agency Agreement with a qualified Realtor, so that your interests are represented. A Buyer's Agent will be working for you to get you the best price and terms possible, and all of your information and motivations will be kept confidential. Best of all, buyer representation is at no cost to you in Kansas and Missouri.

So, rather than driving around looking for homes, and calling several separate Realtors to view the ones you like - get your own Realtor first. Having a qualified professional on your side will save you time and money. Although buyer representation is "free", having someone to guide you through the process from start to finish is "priceless."

For more information about buying a home in the Kansas City Metro Area, call or email me any time. I stand ready to answer your questions and help to guide you through the process.

The Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) is currently offering an incentive program to first-time and repeat buyers in Missouri, called the Home Ownership Purchase Enhancement (HOPE) Program.

MHDC has allocated $15 million toward the HOPE program. Qualified Missouri families that purchase a home in 2010 are eligible for a HOPE incentive equaling the amount of the 2009 real estate tax bill associated with the property they purchased, up to a maximum of $1,250. Additionally, homebuyers who are approved for the real estate property tax HOPE incentive may also be eligible to receive an additional amount if they bought a qualified newly constructed energy efficient home or bought an existing home and remodeled or purchased items, such as Energy Star appliances, to make the home more energy efficient. The maximum combined total of the HOPE property tax incentive and the HOPE energy efficiency incentive is $1,750.

This is a great opportunity for new homeowners to get a little extra cash in their pockets! For program details, and to see if you qualify, visit #mce_temp_url#

"My friend Mary just got an awesome deal on a foreclosure! She got the house for $35,000 below market value."

In this market, who among us has not heard a story similar to that? Sure, when you know just what you're up against and have an experienced Realtor to guide you, foreclosed and distressed homes can be a fantastic opportunity for some walk-in or sweat equity. But there is a lot of the story missing; and buyers out to get a steal in the the real estate market often have to find out the hard way that it is not just making a low-ball offer and signing on the dotted line.

First, when you're negotiating to purchase a foreclosed home - you are at the mercy of the bank, investor, or servicing company who is handling the sale of the property. The whole process will happen on the terms of the seller; and while it may take them days to answer a buyers offer, they expect all counter-offers and documentation from the buyer to be submitted immediately.

They will outline the closing date, inspection and financing timelines. Many of these homes are without utility service and/or have been winterized, which can add $200-$300 in additional inspection expenses. In most cases, the home will be sold as-is (except for the case of termite infestation, which all sellers in this area are compelled to treat by law), therefore many of these homes will not pass FHA or VA Appraisal requirements.

Buyers can spend up to $1000 on inspection costs, only to find that the condition of the house is unacceptable to the lender, or buyer - or both. Having to start again the search and negotiation process can be frustrating, especially with a lot of time and money having already been spent.

So if the process to buy these foreclosures is so difficult, why do buyers even bother with the process? Simple! They remain in charge of one major aspect of the sale - the price. Buyers have quite the advantage in this current real estate market because there are so many distressed homes for sale. Many of these homes are being sold for thousands (and even tens of thousands) below a "typical market value."

Even the homes that need some work can represent a great profit opportunity to the savvy buyer. However, a lot of the available homes out there are in terrible condition, and will require thousands of dollars in repairs and updates. Therefore, what a buyer will spend in total on the property must be considered.

Many buyers who have already purchased homes are surprised to find that they have little room to "make demands" like they have in past transactions. First-time buyers - for whom the buying process is already full of surprises, can be easily (and understandably) overwhelmed by the additional difficulty added when buying a foreclosed home.

This is why it is essential to have an expert Realtor in your corner. Now more than ever, having a skilled agent guiding you through the process step-by-step will help ease what is likely to be challenging at the very least. With all the changes happening in lending and the housing market - consumers need someone on their side who stays informed, and is out there "fighting the battle" for their clients every day.

So before you decide to "hop aboard the foreclosure train", be sure to contact an experienced Realtor who will help you examine the pros and cons. Each buyer's situation and home for sale are unique, so be sure you have an expert to help you decide what's right for you.